Kindling Hearts
by Witsburg
Summary: NaruHina ShikaTemari LeeOC Some Sakura and Sasuke bashing... spoilers up to 230 or so. Basically Naruto growing up and his journey up the ninja ranks. some OOC R&R comments are always welcome.
1. Return Home

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters

A/N _name_ means the person's point of view

Kindling Hearts

Chapter 1: Return Home

_Hinata_

It has been almost a full day now since I heard about Naruto's mission. I clenched my fist around my oversized jacket as I gazed into the distance, hoping for any sign of their return. My heart was beating erratically and pain seized up in my chest. I did not know why but I felt something terrible had happened.

I looked at the others that stood with me. Sakura stood there with eyes that were bloodshot due to crying. Her pink hair was disheveled and it seemed almost as if she did not care about anything else as long as she was here to greet HIM when HE returned. I never liked Sasuke like the other girls, but then I never hated him either. But now, it was him that was putting the one I admire in the worst danger I could think of.

But even more than that, I hated Sakura. She made Naruto make a promise that may be impossible to keep. She made a difficult mission worse. She did not care what happened to Naruto as long as that bastard Sasuke was brought back. I did not show my anger. However, it consumed me, if anything happened to Naruto, I swore that I would never forgive either of them.

_Naruto_

I stood there standing astride with him. Sasuke was covered in blood, both mine and his. He struggled for breath as he cradled his arm. The red Sharingan that was his eyes gazed intensely at me as the spirals spun.

I was breathing heavily as well. The intense chakra from the Kyubi had dissipated, along with that demonic form of his curse seal. Whatever happens, the next move would decide it all. With that thought I summoned the rest of my chakra and formed a spiral of destruction within my right hand, Rasengan.

He smiled and performed seals as intense chakra covered his left hand. The sounds of thousands of birds chirping accompanied the jutsu, Chidori. I charged at him, and he likewise.

The two jutsus collided but rather that cancel each other like before they slid past each other. His Chidori tore through my arm. Blood erupted everywhere. I lost control of the Rasengan and it spiraled out of control. The destructive power of my technique tore huge gashes into his arms, body, legs and face. He lost consciousness at the same time as me.

I gazed up and saw him. He was fully recovered. He charged at me. I swore silently as our battle began once again.

_Shikamaru_

Relief washed over me as we encountered Kiba and Kankurou. Kiba was alive, though he had a nasty gash across his gut. Worry for the other members of my team conflicted with the joy of discovering one safe. I sent Kiba and Kankurou to go after Naruto and be his backup while me and Temari would go back and find the fate of the Hyuuga branch member and my best friend. I did not want to send Kiba off in his condition, but under the circumstances, he was the only one that might be able to find Naruto in time to be of any help.

We discovered the body of Neji lying collapsed upon the ground. Grotesque wounds covered his body and two large holes, one on his left shoulder and another on the right side of his stomach. I almost threw up at the sight. His body twitched. I was surprised to see anyone survive those types of wounds. This only increased my worry for Chouji.

It was obvious that he had won the battle, or at least forced a draw since the Sound Nin hadn't been seen either. After hastily bandaging up Neji, we carefully carried him as we back tracked towards where we left Chouji to fight.

I spotted his body lying under a tree. His figure was showing signs of malnutrition. All the body fat that was usually there had disappeared. I cried at the sight. I could see tears welling up in Temari's eyes but I could not tell who they were for. We waited there for the others.

_Lee_

I sat there next to Gaara. Exhaustion had taken hold of both of us. I stretched my neck as I mentally prepared to go after Naruto and Sasuke. I gave Gaara a thumb up and grinned. He nodded silently. As we prepared to give chase Kiba and Kankurou arrived at the scene. I looked at the wound that had been temporarily patched up on Kiba's abdomen. Without further ado, we sprinted in the direction Kiba led. We reached a waterfall that fell between two stone guardians.

Lying on the ground were two bodies. Both were covered with massive amounts of blood. The place stunk of it. Red marks were everywhere. I covered my nose and moved towards them. That sight was far more sickening than the bloodstained environment. Naruto lay their silent and unmoving. His right arm was barely anything but pieces of flesh clinging loosely on fragmented bones. Deep gashes covered his body from head to toe. Non rhythmic breathing could be heard from his lungs as his body struggled to survive within the unconscious state.

Sasuke's body was no better. Gashes that seemed to reflect those sustained by Naruto also covered his body. His left arm seemed to have fractured in multiple locations as well. Of the two bodies, Sasuke's was in far better shape. Gaara seemed disturbed by the view, which surprised me. He had always seemed so cold hearted. I did not know what had happened but I was glad that Gaara had changed.

Gaara formed sand 'beds' and carried the two bodies as we proceeded to return to rendezvous with Shikamaru and the rest of the team. Kiba was forced to rest upon another sand bed as well since the exertion had reopened his wound. I was tempted to ask for one myself, but I did not want to hold myself indebted to the one that almost took away my Nindo.

_Hinata_

I spotted them in the distance with my Byakugan. Shikamaru was in the lead. Temari walked immediately behind him. By the looks of the interaction, Shikamaru and Temari were having a conversation of some sort. In my heart, I rejoiced, Naruto was coming home. But then, all I saw had been those two. I opened my eyes once more and sought out the group. Gaara was walking far behind those two. At his side were five sand beds. One of them held a fierce Kiba that struggled to get off it to no avail. I gasped in horror. 'Please don't let Naruto be in one of those coffins'. I clenched my hands by my chest as I prayed for my hero's safety. A little bit behind them walked Rock Lee and Kankurou. Lee seemed to be having difficulties walking but refused assistance. Then there was no one. My heart sank in despair. I strode off towards the Ninja Administration. There was no time to spare. I would get the Godaime to meet them at the gates as quickly as possible. If Naruto was alive, then she would have the best chance of saving him. I shook my head trying to erase that thought, 'If he was alive'. He had to be alive. As I arrived Tsunade-sama was walking out the administration building at a fast pace. I slowed down as I stood in front of them. Bowing politely I opened my mouth to speak. She waved it off in a way that said she knew what was happening.

Arriving back at the gates we reached at the same time as the procession. Sakura ran towards them. "Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun?" she spoke on the verge of tears.

Shikamaru walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Sasuke isn't hurt that badly. Naruto kept his promise." I saw that while Shikamaru was lying about the wounds, they were far from fatal. It was then that I saw Naruto. He lay there in a pool of blood. The sand around him was soaked in it. His arm hung limply to his side and deep gashes were etched into his flesh. A red glow covered his body but I knew not what it was.

When I heard Sakura's response, something inside me snapped. "How dare Naruto do this to Sasuke-kun" she had said. My hand moved without me knowing. A red mark was left across Sakura's face. Everyone stared at me in shock. Realizing what I had done, I quickly apologized before running away as quickly as possible.

I slumped in the corner of my room clinging desperately to a plush Naruto. Tears flowed freely from my eyes as I remembered the sight. "Naruto-kun" I muttered his name to myself constantly. It was the spell that kept me strong. It was the spell that kept me going. A knock on my door went unanswered. The small note that was slipped under the door went unread. My usual white eyes became red with the unstoppable flood of tears. I fell asleep in the corner on that cold dark day of my life.

_Shikamaru_

I went with the sand siblings to debrief Tsunade of the mission while she began work healing the injured. I could see the grimace of pain she made when she saw the wounds on Naruto's body. Shizune had stabilized the conditions of Neji and Chouji and was beginning with Kiba's injuries. It was several hours since we arrived. She nodded silently as I completed informing her of everything I had learnt from the mission on Orochimaru's plan. I turned to see Naruto's body in the same condition as when we began. I almost threw up again. It was a sickening sight. Tsunade waved us off saying that the sand siblings should find a place to stay for the night.

Without thinking I volunteered. While my house wasn't big it would be enough to house the three, at least temporarily. I never really understood why I made that decision when I did. It was very unlike me. I shrugged as I directed them towards my house.

I glanced back and saw Temari grinning widely like when she defeated the sound. "Arigatou" she spoke the words kindly.

"Now we're even" I replied smiling before looking away and blushing slightly.

_Lee_

I couldn't believe what I heard. I had to spend at least 6 months in recuperation before I would be allowed to leave the hospital again!? It wasn't fair. I had spent my life training and then risked my life on a surgery and even then I had to spend another portion on my life recuperating from the injury before I could even continue training. Gai-sensei entered the room after the nurse had spoken to me. He spoke of how he was worried about me and we cried together.

I had the most respect for Gai, that any person could have for any other. He was the one that taught me about strength and dedication. When he asked me to make a promise not to train for the 6 months of recuperation, I had to agree. I was never one to say no to Gai-sensei. He was my pillar of light when all else went wrong.

_Hinata_

I awoke the next morning and noticed the note near my door. I opened it to see my father's writing.

_We have gone to see Neji-kun at the hospital. _

_I suggest you go visit him as well. _

_You should also visit your teammate._

_And lastly do not forget the 'proud' failure._

_Hiashi_

The words were so unlike her father. In the more recent years, he had been cold and uncaring. When the Chuunin exams had ended, he seemed somewhat different, but I could not tell for sure. I did not know how he knew about me telling Naruto he was a 'proud' failure, but the words had held tightly within my heart. It had been the first time I had spoken to him for an extended period. The light that was shining in my darkness widened as my father stood there alongside Naruto-kun. I smiled at the imagery. I rushed out my door and took a quick shower. I looked in the mirror to see my eyes puffy and red, but it did not matter. My father had given me permission to visit Naruto-kun. I ran into the hospital, only stopping to learn Naruto's room and sign in. I sprinted into the room only to have my heart sink.

Tsunade-sama lay next to the bed sleeping from exhaustion. Her hands were covered in blood. In that moment Tsunade looked years older, even with her 'youthful' façade. I moved cautiously towards the sleeping bodies. I held on tightly to the hope that Tsunade had healed Naruto before passing out at his side.

A sigh of relief escaped as I saw Naruto's body looking 'whole'. His face was fixed in a grimace and anger. It was then that I heard him scream. The sound was blood curdling and terrifying. Tsunade awoke from the sound and placed a palm covered in chakra over Naruto's forehead. He continued to scream. Tears welled up in my eyes once again. I tried to cover my ears and block out the cries. I collapsed and sobbed as I saw the light disappear and leaving me shrouded in darkness once again. "Naruto-kun" I continued to mutter the spell under my breath in vain. The courage that I usually felt was gone. He no longer stood in that light that always guided me.


	2. Awakening

A/N Thank you to all the people with the kind words and encouragements.

Kindling Hearts

Chapter 2: Awakening

_Shikamaru_

I felt something poking at my side. A voice I did not recognize spoke "Wake up!!!" Well at least it wasn't my mom. She would have gotten rather violent and threatening if I didn't awake when she called. Curiosity gnawed at me but sleep got the better of it. The voice spoke again, "Are you sure she said it was ok to do that?"

Another voice replied, "Just don't kill him." I opened my eyes in fear as I looked upon the two figures. One had tossed red hair and teal eyes that were surrounded in black marks from sleep deprivation. The kanji for love was embedded on his forehead, just above his left eye.

"Ga...Gaara... I'm awake, I'm awake" I managed to stutter out before running past the two. As I ran past I noticed the other, she had blonde hair that was let loose from her usual ponytails and ran slightly past her shoulders. She had dark blue eyes that watched me as I raced past them. She raised her right hand to her mouth as she tried to stifle a giggle. "How troublesome" I muttered to myself as I quickly showered before going down for breakfast.

I saw my Dad sitting at the table conversing with Temari. Every instinct in my body told me that the topic of the conversation was more trouble than it was worth. My mother stood at the stove finishing preparing breakfast. Gaara stood by the door with his arms crossed. He seemed lost in thought.

I sat down and hadn't even begun to eat before my mom started to berate my dad about him being late. "Shikamaru... um... show us around Konoha... onegai?" Temari seemed to be nervous as she spoke. It was the first time I had ever seen her like that. Then she smiled at me. A feeling that was unfamiliar yet so right encompassed my mind. It made me feel uneasy and yet warm and vibrant. I nodded slowly while muttering about how troublesome this was going to be.

Her reply was unusal and unexpected. "I'm sure a Chuunin can handle a couple Genins."

This was true in most circumstances but here the Chuunin was me, and one of the Genins was Gaara. I was pretty confident that even a Jounin would have trouble 'handling' him.

My dad spoke in a whisper, "So I see you finally grew up."

I could only think of one response, "How troublesome."

_Hinata  
_I did not realize it when the screams ceased. I felt the comforting hands of Tsunade surround me as she spoke words of comfort. I only caught a few words here and there. "He's ok." "It was only a nightmare." "There's nothing to be worried about."

I wanted to believe her. I truly did. But something told me there was more to it than what she said. Why didn't he wake up if it was only a nightmare? Why was Tsunade so exhausted? Why was she even still here?

I shook my head. It was impolite and rather rude to question the Hokage's abilities and motives. My mind cleared dramatically as I willed myself to calm. I whispered the spell I always depended on as I brought forth new resolve.

I stood and walked over to Naruto's sleeping body. I reached out to touch his slumbering face. I stopped an inch from his skin. He looked so peaceful. The eyes seemed so different from when it had been contorted in anger. I traced my hand around the edge of his cheek without touching him. Those birthmarks that ran across them seemed so unnatural.

I smiled in silence. Tsunade watched in silence as I gazed upon the boy that had for so long been the light that illuminated my darkness. He had been the strength that carried me through all my failures and disappointments. I wanted to give some of that back. To become the source of strength for him, to be a light that would call him back from any darkness that surrounded him. It felt like he was fighting something in his dreams, something that he must not lose.

I cried aloud when I saw the wounds reopen. Blood flowed once again covering the sheets. His eyes were contorted in pain. The birthmarks now ran rampant across his cheeks. They were enflamed and almost feral. Tsunade swore under her breath. She ordered me to leave but I refused. Whatever was happening I wanted to know. Why did those wounds reopen? Why? Why? I covered my mouth as I feared for his safety.

_Naruto_

I was surrounded in darkness. The only thing visible was a figure some distance away. He had red eyes with swirls within them. His dark hair blended with the darkness. Dark flame-like markings covered his body. The sounds of birds chirping surrounded me as blue chakra covered his left hand. I had lost count of the amount of times I had 'died' from this attack or that he had 'died' from my Rasengan. I charged blindly at him. He thrust his arm forward. I ducked under it as I planted a kick into his abdomen. Something felt wrong. It turned to a block of wood before my eyes, Kawirimi no Jutsu. I swore when I saw that. A burning sensation penetrated my back. I looked down to see a bloody hand penetrating through my chest. I coughed blood as red chakra encompassed me. I separated myself from him and spun rapidly. I grabbed his arm and snapped it in half. The wounds on my body did not recover as it had in the past. I was breathing hard. I did not know what was going on.

_Temari_

The first place Shikamaru led us to, was the hospital. As lazy as he claimed he was, he cared about his friends. I smiled inwardly as my impression of him grew. We signed into the hospital as the three of us proceeded to Chouji's room. Kankurou had decided to remain at the house when he overslept. I knew fully that the feelings I had towards him were still developing, but there was no doubt in my mind that it would blossom into true love. The only problem was to convince him I wasn't as troublesome as he claimed women to be... or at least convince him that it would be more troublesome without me. Regardless, now was not the time for something like that. His best friend still lay in a coma. I stood by the door and watched as he spoke to the unconscious boy. Gaara stood on the other side of the wall seemingly lost in thought.

I was well aware of the gradual change that was overcoming my previously murderous younger brother. I smiled at him trying to hide the pain I felt watching Shikamaru conversing with a comatose friend. He nodded silently and then made a seal before disappearing in a swirl of sand. Part of me was happy to be left alone with Shikamaru, part of me was annoyed with Gaara for leaving so abruptly. I sighed as I turned around only to be greeted by Shikamaru standing next to me. His hands were tucked into pockets as he looked around. "How troublesome" he muttered.

"Umm... I don't think you need to worry about Gaara causing any trouble so it's ok..." I tried to alleviate his worries.

He groaned audibly. He proceeded to a small field that was enclosed with a fence. There were many deer that could be seen scattered in the distance near the tree line. He sat down under a tree and gazed into the sky. "It's my turn to watch the deer, but I'll take you around later." From my perspective he wasn't looking at the deer but at the sky. I sat next to him. Before I knew it I was staring at his face. I blushed when I realized what I was doing.

A large deer with huge antlers approached us. It prodded Shikamaru with its nose. Grumbling his favourite phrase, he scratched the creature's ears before fishing out a sugar cube from his pocket. He fed the oversized animal while gently caressing its neck.

_Hinata_

Naruto had calmed down once again. Tsunade worked hard to seal the wounds, but I could tell she was beyond exhausted. Sweat ran down her face as she struggled with the phantom injuries. Breathing heavily, she ran her right arm across her forehead. She pulled a pill from a small packet before swallowing it. Instantly her depleted chakra returned as she continued her operation. It was a 'soldier pill'. I had seen Kiba use it on multiple occasions. However, I had never seen anyone take so many in such a small time. In the garbage bin there laid multiple packets resembling the one she had taken the pill from. Tsunade was pushing herself beyond human limits. I was afraid. If she pushed it any more, the Leaf would lose another Hokage.

I reached over. I wanted to stop Tsunade from killing herself, but at the same time I did not want to give up on Naruto. I stopped myself before touching her shoulder.

She turned over to me and smiled. "Do you know what I said when I decided to become the Godaime Hokage?" she asked.

I shook my head. I did not know any of the details of why she chose to become Hokage.

"To protect the Hidden Leaf, from now on, I too will bet my life" She replied. There were obviously more implications to those words than I understood. I knew then that regardless of what I said or did, she would not stop. This continued for a long time. I wanted to help. I became determined to learn those medical jutsus. Next time, I would be the one to risk my life protecting the one important to me. Next time, I would not be weak and only stand around being useless. Tsunade collapsed suddenly. Her genjutsu had faded. I saw a very tired old lady lying on the ground beside Naruto's bed. I picked her up and lay her on another bed. I placed a damp cloth over her forehead.

"Let me help." I heard a voice. I turned around. There stood the most dangerous person I knew, Gaara. His eyes seemed melancholy. I bit my nails as I nervously nodded. He watched over Tsunade, changing the cloth regularly, attempting to lower the disastrous fever she had developed. I tried to stop the bleeding as much as possible. I placed bandages over the many wounds; applying pressure. I leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. Tears ran freely from my eyes. "Please come back to me, Naruto-kun" I whispered inaudibly.

_Naruto_

I did not know how long this fight had lasted, hours, days, weeks. I was losing all hope for an end to arrive. Then within the darkness I saw a light. I strained my eyes to see it clearly. A silhouette stood within that glamorous hope. She had dark blue hair, cut short. Her silver eyes were crying. The large jacket she wore shook with every tear. Then I heard her speak, "Please come back to me, Naruto-kun."

"Hinata-chan" I muttered. New resolve filled me. I would end this now. There was at least one person waiting for me. I could not keep them waiting any longer. I would not be the cause of sorrow for those precious to me. I looked at Sasuke. The bastard was laughing. I rushed at him with my Rasengan thrust ahead. It contacted with his head as it tore apart. I thought I had won. I needed only to get to the light, to where Hinata was waiting. I was wrong. Blood gurgled out of my mouth. Sasuke's arm thrust through my neck. 'I'm sorry' I thought to myself as I collapsed onto the ground.

I opened my eyes screaming. Pain erupted from the sudden movement. I felt a weight lying at my side. I looked at her. Tears were running from her closed eyes. I reached over and spoke silently "I'm sorry for making you worry." I then noticed another presence. Standing by the door was a lone figure with a large gourd on his back.

"Welcome back" his words were spoken with what seemed a sign of relief. He quickly vanished in a small display of sand.

Elsewhere

Another figure awoke. "Kukukuku" he laughed insanely. He raised his hand to his face as he understood. He had killed him. His eyes turned red. Three spirals appeared before joining together in the Mangekyou Sharingan. He had the strength he desired. Performing several seals, he used his jutsu, 'Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu'. A large fireball tore through the walls. Several guards stood astonished outside. Several more seals were performed before the chirping of birds became audible. Blood covered the ground as the survivor of the Uchiha clan disappeared into the shadows.

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A/N I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as well... I'll try to have the next chapter ready by next week...

Thanks again everybody!!! .


	3. Recovery

**Taisa Ayase** I'll try my best to improve my description of their thoughts. It's one of my weak points huh? Thank you for telling me, and keep the constructive criticism coming .

**Keltosh **It's naturally an AU since I don't know what will happen in the manga... obviously... but then again I consider all "Fanfictions" to take place in an AU since they never actually 'happened'. So I didn't mark this one as an AU since I simply took off from the most 'recent' chapter at that time. Also about the Mangekyou Sharingan, my interpetation of how jutsus work is probably the cause of why this occurred. Well anyways, as far as Sasuke is concerned, Naruto is 'dead'. They were fighting in a 'dream' dimension, so he literally 'killed' Naruto there, but he conviently forgot that Naruto had also 'killed' him. There's more to the reason than this but I hope you can accept this much.

To everyone else, Thank you and keep reading .

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Kindling Hearts

Chapter 3: Recovery

_Naruto_

I sat up and gazed at the bandages that covered me. All of them had been soaked through with blood. The sight was terrifying. The scent of medicine filled the air. I recognized the fragrant smell. It was the ointment I used during the preliminary round. I smiled inwardly as I gazed at the sleeping form of Hinata.

I rested my head backwards. It came to my mind as if the clouds had cleared. "Sasuke" I spoke. Tsunade stood over me and smiled. She looked so weary. Her long hair seemed untidy from overexertion. Tears hung at the edge of her eyes as she looked down on me.

"You succeeded" her words were spoken with admiration. She left shortly afterwards with a sigh of relief. I didn't understand, but something felt wrong. I tried to disregard the thought as I rested. But the vision never left. I saw his arm tearing through my neck. Over and over again, the sight tormented me.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw it. That hateful face laughing as his arm tore through my flesh. It was terrifying. I tried telling myself it was only a dream, that it didn't happen. I could not bring myself to believe that. It had felt so real, it still felt that real.

I laughed silently to myself. At least Sakura-chan will be happy. It did not bother me as much anymore that Sakura 'loved' Sasuke and not me. My infatuation for her had been slowly diminishing. 'She's probably sitting at that bastard's bedside even now' I thought to myself.

"N...Naruto-kun, you're awake" a small timid voice had spoken.

I looked down at the owner of that voice. A faint smile crawled across her weary face. The sight was heartwarming. Her usual white eyes were bloodshot. I cringed at the sight knowing the reason. Five genins and one chuunin had placed their lives on the line to 'rescue' one arrogant genin. I wondered silently if the price had been worth it. He was the last Uchiha and one who possessed the true Sharingan. The irony was sickening.

Itachi had betrayed his clan and killed all but Sasuke. Sasuke swore revenge. Sasuke betrayed the village just as his brother did. I hoped Sasuke would understand what he did.

I shook the thoughts from my mind. Smiling, I placed my hand on Hinata's cheek. She blushed visibly as she began to twiddle her fingers. "Thank you. I would never have returned if it wasn't for you." Blood flushed to her cheeks as she turned crimson. I wondered at the meaning of those words. The implications were more than I had thought at the time. It did not matter because I would never take back my words.

"I... I ... didn't do anything..."

I smiled. I didn't understand how she had managed to come to that world of darkness, but she had. And through her light, I had returned. I laughed awkwardly. Rubbing the back of my head, I spoke, "Thank you anyways."

_Lee_

They had taken me to the pool in the hospital to begin my therapy. I watched the water gently slosh against the sides. It seemed cold and uninviting.

"Lee-san," the nurse awoke me from my delusions. I was ashamed of myself.

I winced from the pain as I released my clutches and placed pressure on my leg before entering the pool. The kind nurse guided me into the water. She led me through the exercises slowly and showed me what to do.

The movements were subtle, but the injuries I had sustained ached regardless. The parts that weren't injured screamed to have actual exercise and training. It was an unusual conflict between the various parts of my body. I tried to ignore it remembering my warm promise to Gai-sensei.

I looked around the pool and saw only one other person receiving the rehabilitation therapy. She looked younger than me. Her light brown hair clung to her face as she moved in the water. Her eyes were focused and showed determination. I could hear her wincing in pain from time to time, but she did not give up. Compared to her, I felt like a coward and an idiot. I knew now what to do. I pointed my finger at her and spoke, "I'll finish my rehabilitation before you, and if I don't I'll run 500 laps around Konoha when I am healed." She stifled a giggle as she looked my way.

"Just don't expect me to do that if I lose" she replied before laughing out loud.

I smiled, "It's a race then." I did my 'nice' guy pose before returning to my 'training' with newfound determination.

The nurse humourlessly spoke, "Baka" before giving me a gentle slap across the back of my head.

_Shikamaru_

The sun was setting, so my watch was almost over. I looked over to where Temari lay. She had fallen asleep several hours ago. She looked so peaceful lying there on the grass. I found myself staring at her face for extended periods of time. I spoke silently to myself, "I guess women aren't that troublesome after all."

I suppose it must have been boring for her to simply sit here for so many hours. She did seem to have fun playing with the deer once they weren't so afraid of her anymore. I lay back and rested against a tree as I watched the sky turn red and orange. The light played along Temari's face giving it an almost heavenly appearance. I smiled.

Of course, with my luck she'd become a demon that would chase me to the ends of the Earth once she wakes up for not showing her around. That would be troublesome.

_Naruto_

I heard a loud crash. The sound echoed through the walls. I cringed. I started to cough. I tried to hide the small droplets of blood that escaped my mouth to keep Hinata from worrying. It didn't work. I could see it in her eyes. The fear was evident.

Tsunade walked back in the room rapidly. From the look on her face, I knew immediately what had happened. "Sasuke..." I spoke in a small whisper. "What is that bastard thinking?"

She raised her hand at me pointing with her index finger. "Sasuke has abandoned the village. It's too dangerous to send someone after him now since the Jounins and ANBU all have missions. And I will not attempt another mission with only Genins. And that means YOU. I don't want you to go chasing after Sasuke." I sighed in resignation. Even if I wanted to go after him I couldn't. The wounds on my body hadn't healed properly as of yet, and they would be a major hindrance.

I saw Hinata walk up to her and pull gently on her coat. "A..Ano..."

"What is it Hinata?" Tsunade spoke with a slight temper.

"Canyouteachmemedicaljutsusonegai?" Hinata spoke quickly while her fingers moved nervously together just above her chest. I could see that Hinata was visibly shaking from nervousness and possibly fright.

Tsunade looked down at her, almost as if she was sizing her up. I chuckled.

"Ne... Tsunade-Obaachan" I could see her anger increase tenfold at that. I smiled. "She knows your secret." I laughed out loud as her expression balked.

She led Hinata out of the room.

_Hinata_

I was nervous. This was a great way to become stronger. To help me be able to fulfill my Nindo, 'I will never take back my words.' It was the same as Naruto's, except he had the strength to back them, while I could not. This would also help me fulfill the personal promise I had made to myself. I shook in fear as the legendary nin took me into the hallway. There I felt even more scared. "N..Naruto-kun" I whispered the spell as I felt renewed courage gather within me.

She stood leaning against the wall. Her arms were crossed and the expression on her face serious. I faltered at the sight. I tried to ignore it. "I'm a very busy person."

"I... I k...know, Ho...Hokage-sama."

"Even Shizune hasn't mastered my techniques yet."

I nodded. I knew who Shizune was but nothing about the relationship between her and Tsunade was known.

"And I've been training her for over 10 years now."

I was scared. From everything, she said it seemed like she wasn't going to teach me.

"It will be hard work."

I stood shocked. "Th...Then you'll teach me...?"

"I will guide you... but you'll have to learn most of it yourself." My heart raced with joy at those words. To be personally taught by a Sanin was an honour, granted she wasn't officially 'teaching' me but still. I bowed continuously to show my appreciation as words of gratitude escaped my mouth.

_Lee_

I rested from the exertion. My arm and leg ached. I sat by the pool as I watched my 'rival' come out of the water and sat on a wheelchair. She approached me. She smiled at me, "My name is Karei, you?"

"I am Konoha's proud green beast, Rock Lee." I grinned widely and made the 'nice' guy pose. She giggled in response.

We sat there in silence for a while.

"You're a ninja?" she approached the topic cautiously.

I nodded vigorously in reply. She sat there in thought. Her eyes showed tension. It felt like she was on the verge of tears. I did not understand why her mood had changed so suddenly and I feared to broach the subject.

She answered my unspoken question. "D...During the S...Sand invasion... I...I was stabbed by a kunai... I couldn't walk and it hurt so much. If...If Konoha wasn't a..."

She couldn't finish her statement. But I understood.

"War... it isn't as simple as that." I contemplated on my reply. "If Konoha's shinobis weren't here then the village would fall prey to any number of predators. It is because they protect us that we can live our lives the way we want it. 'To protect those important to us' that is the reason we fight, that is the reason we must fight."

The words resounded true within my heart. I knew then that no matter what happened I would be one of those that would protect the village with my life.

I could see her process those words as I looked into her emerald green eyes.

_Sakura_

I had sat isolated within my room since Hinata slapped me. It angered me. How dare that little bitch hit me? She, who could never summon any courage, had the audacity to hit me.

Part of me knew. Part of me understood. This entire ordeal had been a result of me being too weak. I couldn't stop Sasuke-kun, so Naruto had promised to bring him back for me. I should have seen the injuries he had suffered, but my eyes were blinded by the sight of Sasuke's fallen body. While it was true, it had been an excuse all the same.

Visions of the boys clouded my mind as I cried. Only a couple of them had been able to return standing. I silently wondered if I would ever be able to do the same. It was true that I had fought against the Sound nins in the second exam, but then I had been given no choice. I had stood against Gaara, and what good had it really done? I simply became a burden to Naruto and Sasuke.

In that moment I resolved to quit being a shinobi. I knew that I wasn't cut out for it.

I wasn't like Naruto. I could not summon the courage to face enemies that were overwhelmingly powerful.

I wasn't like Lee. I could not sacrifice my body for a glimpse of victory. I knew I would fight when push comes to shove, but that would never be enough.

I wasn't like Shikamaru, I could not come up with strategies to trap the enemy. For all my studying all I knew were the theories and histories.

The simple fact was that I was not strong. I was not smart. And my only motivation had been a boy that would betray the place I called home.


	4. A Request and an Encounter

**Xoni Newcomer - **Hmm I'm gonna have to agree with you that i've been portraying Temari rather OOC. I'll try to fix that in later chapters, but I can also see Temari as being really sweet and caring too, but maybe I'm reading way too much into that smile she gave him XD About the multiple PoVs, I actually do like writing in first person, but at the same time, this story requires the PoV of various characters, hence my choosing of this style. I'll try not to change PoV as frequently and also try not to switch when unneccessary. Lastly I followed your advice about letting people review without signing in... I never realized it was a problem, but since I didn't really want random reviews from people I couldn't track, I had originally opted for signed reviews only. (I like knowing who tells me what... and also what other stories they like etc. gives me other stuff to read )

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Kindling Hearts 

Chapter 4: A Request and an Encounter

_Naruto_

He had abandoned Konoha. He who had everything I ever wanted had betrayed all those that loved him. He had fought without hesitation or regret. He had fought to kill. I needed to be ready to end it should I get the chance. I could not afford to fight for half-hearted reasons anymore.

I remembered the fight. I remembered him overwhelming me continuously with his taijutsu. His speed and strength exceeded mine. Naturally with the nine-tails, I managed to regain the advantage, but could I afford to depend on it so much? His technique, skill and instinct all exceeded mine.

I sat there thinking of ways to improve. Ero-sennin had been extraordinary, teaching me jutsus that were incredibly powerful, but had done little to improve my combat skills. I sat in my daze when I saw her reenter my room. I remembered the words Rock Lee had spoken, what felt like an eternity ago. "She uses the same Hyuuga Style... the leaf's strongest Taijutsu style."

_3rd Person PoV_

He felt it. The intoxicating power that was his and his alone boiled anxiously for a challenge to prove itself. He was ready to fight him. He felt sure that this time he would succeed. He did not need the foolish strength of the snake-sannin. But first he had to be sure of this strength. He needed to know its limits and abilities. The guards had simply been too surprised to be a challenge. He needed to know.

His eyes came across a small group of ninjas that sat resting. A small child stood among them. It looked like it would be a C or B-ranked mission. But this was also a chance to see how his strength fared.

The four Hidden Grass ninjas responded rapidly to his sudden assault. But their movements, he saw them. He moved and avoided them. This was child's play. His kunai cut deeply into their throats as they collapsed. He guessed that they were most likely Chuunins. He enjoyed his power. The child stood in shock and fear. He half hoped that her cries would bring more enemies but that would be unlikely. He prepared to leave when an incredible fear filled him. He turned.

"Randomly attacking people and leaving a child crying... that's not very nice." The person was young, definitely under fifteen years of age. Shades hung on the bridge of his nose partially covering his eyes. Those eyes were steely grey and showed harsh and violent emotions. A red bandana kept his long grey hair out of his face. A silver breastplate covered his chest and abdomen. A white tunic could be seen under the heavy piece of steel. Ornamental steel plates hung over his shoulders and upper arm. The sleeves of the tunic lay tucked into metal forearm guards. Loose white trousers were worn upon the legs with no hint of metal in them. Shin guards covered his lower legs that led to plated shoes. A red sash was drawn around his waist carrying a two foot katana.

"Samurai" the Uchiha spoke coldly. He had heard of stories in the past where Samurai and Ninja were considered equals. But the age of the Samurai had long since passed. Now the ones that clung to their ways were weak and useless. Their strength had been through their swordsmanship. He laughed hysterically. It was true that a true Samurai would be difficult to defeat in 'fair' combat, but life was far from that ideal. This would be a good test of his abilities the young Uchiha decided.

Drawing a kunai, he prepared for the coming battle.

_Hinata_

It was the first time I had ever seen him nervous. He seemed so confused about what to do. Suddenly determination seemed to grab hold of his thoughts. He opened his mouth to speak. "Eto... Hinata, can I ask a favour?"

I could feel my face flush as I nodded in reply. I unconsciously bit my lip as my fingers moved anxiously against each other slightly above my chest. I wondered what 'favour' could possibly make him so nervous.

"Can you teach me the Jyuuken?"

Part of me felt disappointed but at the same time relieved. The question was confusing to say the least. Very few people could use Jyuuken effectively in battle, and of those the majority had the Byakugan. Also throw in the fact that it was suppose to be a family art, she couldn't just teach it to a 'stranger' could she?

"Huh?! B...But..." I tried to piece together a reply. "O...Only those with Byakugan c...can use it..."

He looked at me half confused and very disappointed.

"O...Ok." He replied after a moment of thought.

He looked so downtrodden from my refusal. I wanted to go over to him, to comfort him but I could not.

His eyes suddenly brightened. He grinned widely.

"How about I train with you instead?"

My face felt warm again. I couldn't understand what was going on in his head.

"W...Why?" I tried to seem curious as opposed to refusing his request.

"Well, Ero-Sennin teaches me a lot of ninjutsus, but that's about it. I want to become stronger in taijutsu as well, so training with someone that uses the 'strongest' leaf style should help me a lot." He grinned again, confident with his answer.

"B...But I'm not that great... maybe you can ask Neji-niisan."

"Hmm... where is he?"

"In...in the hospital" I replied.

"That's no good... he can't train if he's injured."

"You're injured too BAKA" another voice replied.

In the doorway stood Kiba, his arm clutched tightly around a bandaged section of his abdomen.

"K...Kiba-kun" I greeted my teammate. He nodded towards me in greeting.

"Heh... all your bragging and you come back the most injured." Kiba taunted Naruto with his words.

"At least I didn't need to be rescued by Gaara." I looked surprised by what Naruto said.

"Ha loser, I didn't get rescued by Gaara" Kiba replied brashly. "I got rescued by Kankurou." He spoke the last part in a barely audible whisper. It was then that I realized Naruto had been guessing about what had happened to his teammates. To be honest even I didn't know what had happened in the mission, even after 'attempting' to talk to Shikamaru, Kiba and the Sand Ninjas.

"Get better soon, Naruto." Kiba spoke his name as quietly as possible before exiting the room.

_3rd Person PoV_

'He's wearing a lot of heavy armour so he'll most likely be very slow. I'll aim for the joints that aren't protected.' The thoughts flowed through his mind rapidly as a plan of action was formulated and executed. His kunai met only the air as a dull object rammed itself into his stomach.

'He's fast' the realization rushed through his mind as the end of the scabbard met headlong into his chin. He felt his jaw shatter at the impact. Blood dripped from his mouth as he took some distance. He activated his bloodline. The three swirl sharingan would be more than enough to see his moves. He wanted to laugh arrogantly at his foolish opponent but his jaw just did not work. He noticed how the stranger had methodically placed himself between him and the child.

Sasuke knew how to use this protective urge to his advantage. It would be simple. A multitude of shurikens flew from his hand as he moved rapidly in a circle around his adversary. The barrage was neutralized with a flurry of motions. A small indentation could be seen on his left armguard. 'Impossible blocking all of them with a single arm and having them hit the most armoured spot as well?' The thought was terrifying, even more was the fact that his precious eyes could not see what had happened. It felt exactly as it had been before he activated his sharingan.

His hands moved at an astonishing speed. The seals were complete. He drew a deep breath and exhaled with his forefinger and thumb around his lip. 'Goukakyuu no Jutsu' It was his favourite fire skill. The samurai simply stood in the path of the flames. Sasuke thought he had overestimated his opponent for a split second before realizing what was happening. The flames did not touch his body. They simply ceased to exist.

"It would seem that like most _ninja_, you have never encountered a member of the Muteki clan. Our bloodline makes us invincible." The samurai spoke the word 'ninja' with a disgusted tone. He seemed to dislike them.

That was impossible the young ninja thought. An invincible warrior could not exist without anyone knowing about it, let alone an entire clan. Even an 'absolute' defense had ways around it.

He performed another series of seals. The chirping of birds echoed from his hand. 'Chidori', with this technique the answer would be clear he decided. It was impossible for anyone to be struck with it without suffering a wound. It would give him a definite answer about this self proclaimed 'invincibility'.

_Shikamaru_

I returned home to find a Sand Ninja sitting on a couch. Kankurou was smirking when I entered the building with a half sleeping Temari resting against my shoulder. Her arm draped over my shoulder as I attempted to support her weight, which wasn't as much as I originally expected. My mother was smiling from ear to ear watching the sight.

It appeared that my father was away on a mission at the moment or I would never have heard the end of his comments. I glared at the two figures before speaking.

"Aren't either of you going to give me a hand?"

My mother simply shook her head while Kankurou said something about being comfortable where he was. I grumbled.

I carried the young girl into the spare bedroom she was currently occupying. I gently lay her upon the bed.

I took a longing glance at her already sleeping form before leaving the room and heading to the roof. It was too dark to see clouds but watching the stars was sometimes as entertaining.

I found Gaara sitting idly there staring into the sky. It was weird sitting on the roof talking to him for so long. The impression he gave me was one that was seeking redemption, not the ruthless killer he was in the past. There was something else, but I could not place my finger on it.

He told me about his mother, father and aunt, of how his fragile mind had been shaped by the assassinations. It was so similar to what he had said before but so different now. It no longer held the malice it once did, the underlying threat. I listened to his words simply taking everything into account.

"What are your feelings towards Temari?" his voice had changed. It had the feel of protectiveness. The sound was harsh but tempered.

I looked into the night sky thinking and trying to sort out my thoughts on the Sand Nin that had seemingly taken over my mind. I answered with the most truthful words I could think of, "I don't know..."

Well... the next morning turned out to be the worst possible scenario. Temari beat the snot out of me for 'avoiding' my duty. Ino beat the snot out of me for 'betraying' the Leaf when she saw me with Temari. Sakura looked like she was upset about something so I left before she could beat the snot out of me. I also received a very bothersome mission from Hokage-sama. But the worst part about that day was that Chouji was still in a coma.

_Sakura_

I had sent my letter of resignation to the Ninja Administration Building. When I got there I had overheard a very disturbing conversation.

"Did you hear?" one shinobi spoke.

"No, what?" another replied.

"That Uchiha kid killed several shinobis yesterday."

"What? Why?"

"I don't know. It probably has to do with his 'revenge'."

"Because of the massacre?"

"Yeah. To think that the last of the Uchihas would be traitors."

"So he's a branded Missing-nin now?"

"Yeah, this time he killed Leaf nins after all."

The conversation was scary and I was angry that they would so casually talk about Sasuke-kun as a traitor. It was infuriating. I saw Shikamaru make a hasty retreat when I glared at him. Temari was chasing after him. 'Whatever, it doesn't concern me.' I thought to myself.

If Sasuke-kun had run away again, Naruto would go after him again right? Why was he so desperate to get stronger? Why did he need Orochimaru's strength? Tsunade was just as strong right? And Kakashi-sensei was also very strong, why couldn't he just get stronger in the Konohagakure?

In a way I knew the answers to those questions, but it was still frustrating. Trying to relieve my frustration I decided to visit Naruto. He was still injured and was my teammate after all.

I found him sleeping on the hospital bed. His body was covered with bloody bandages. A tear ran down my cheek as I watched the extent of the damage.

A single white lily stood in a vase on his bedside. I wondered who placed it there. I left hastily. From outside the door I whispered silently with my back to the door, "Thank you, Naruto. I'm sorry Naruto. And goodbye Naruto."

I wanted to visit Lee-kun as well, but it seemed he was undergoing 'rehabilitation' in a 'patient' only area of the hospital. I decided to go home and think about what I would do now that I was no longer shinobi.

* * *

A/N 

Before anyone begins to complain that my OC is too powerful and what not. You have to understand that he's overstating his abilities. Also, he knows how to conceal his weakness very well. It's along the same line as Hyuuga's make up for the blind spot in their Byakugan with Kaiten.

First person to correctly guess his bloodline ability and weakness gets a cookie . Just trying to see if I gave enough clues for people to guess.


	5. Training

Sorry for not updating in so long... kinda got sidetracked by FFXI...

Kindling Hearts

Chapter 5 – Training

_Neji_

It has been three weeks since the Sasuke's 'rescue' mission. I was finally released from that cold lifeless place they called a 'hospital'. It had been the first time I had been injured that badly and I needed to stretch and move about again. My arm was still sore when I moved it, probably due to the fact that I had not moved much for the last three weeks.

I looked at the large log that stood before me. It was time to get my movement back to the shape it was before that incident. The sounds of my hands hitting the wood echoed through the training ground.

It was exhausting. However it felt good to move again. I slumped into a sitting position while drinking some water from a cold canteen. I felt a presence in the forest. It was an odd feeling.

"Come out. I know you're there."

There was no movement. I made several seals before activating my bloodline. I scanned the entire area with my Byakugan. I could not see anyone. The first thought frightened me. 'He knows my blind spot. Is he hostile?' I tried to brush off the memory of the terrifying arrow tearing through my body. I did not realize that it would leave such scars. My heart raced as I tried to convince myself that it had been only my imagination.

A figure dropped from the trees. 'Shit!!!' I sprang into a battle ready position as I faced the intruder.

He wore a white yukata that was tied at the waist by a blue sash. A dark grey cloak was worn loosely over it. Long black hair ran down his back. His face had a deep furrow on his forehead just above his pale white eyes.

"Hiashi-sama" I bowed quickly and attempted to apologize for my mistake. He waved it off.

"Neji-san, I have a proposition to make."

_Hinata_

I was excited. Today, Naruto had promised to begin those training sessions with me. I was also far more nervous than anything else. I was afraid that I would be too weak a training partner for Naruto-kun. After all he had defeated Neji-niisan, and I was useless compared to him.

It would have been better if Naruto had decided to forget about it. I did not want him to stop because I wasn't 'good' enough. He had tried to make me believe that I was strong enough but it had not convinced me.

I scribbled some notes as I read the large book entitled 'The Human Body'. Tsunade's first task for me had been to memorize every single detail about every single part of the body. It was a daunting task but her words had convinced me.

_Flashback_

I followed Tsunade to the huge library in the Hokage's building. The number of books was beyond comprehension. Bookshelf after bookshelf covered the floor. Spiraling staircases went up three stories with far more shelves. Tsunade moved with precision as she picked a book from one shelf and handed it to me. It was well over five thousand pages and weighed a good ten to fifteen kilograms. "Memorize it."

"Huh?" had been my only reply.

"With medical jutsus, knowledge is your most important ally and lack of it can prove your worse enemy."

"B...But... this whole book?"

She wagged her finger at me and looked almost annoyed. "Some medical jutsus require that you shut down the organ or tissue to begin recovery. What do you think will happen if you cause the heart to stop functioning so that you can 'repair' the damage?"

I nodded meekly. I knew what she meant.

"There are other organs and tissue that are similiar in that respect. Do you think you can honestly answer that you know all of them?"

I shook my head.

"There are other medical jutsus that can't be performed on various parts of the body because of the way it works, and the only way to know if it'll work or not is to know the body, inside and out."

I nodded again, thankful that the tone was more 'teaching' than 'lecturing'.

The last words were the most important. "Remember the worst thing for a Medical Nin is to kill their patient with their technique."

I looked at the book again, mentally and physically taking notes as everything began to make sense. I was nervous. While I had been able to learn most of the minor muscles and organs and all the major ones, I was still apprehensive about my ability. The next step would be to learn how to mold the chakra into healing forms. It would be difficult doing that step without anyone monitoring me.

3rd Person PoV

He grimaced as he knelt before the snake-sannin. He had just pledged his loyalty to Orochimaru. He looked different from what he remembered but the strength he had felt before remained the same. It felt exactly like them, Itachi and that strange samurai.

Remembering the samurai reminded him of why he needed strength. If he could not defeat him, what chance did he have against the man behind the Uchiha massacre?

_Flashback_

His hand struck the armour of the samurai squarely. However it did not go as he had thought. He had used every ounce of strength and chakra to ensure the speed needed to hit. His hand felt sore from hitting the steel.

The jutsu he had performed had faded a split second before striking. It annoyed the young genius. He could not figure out how to fight this infuriating individual. His sharingan could not follow him. His jutsus always failed against him.

The blunt scabbard was driven deep into his gut as he was separated from his opponent. He had been lucky so far. His opponent's restraint to kill him had been the only thing that kept him alive thus far.

Dark flame markings covered his body as he prepared to fight again. He moved with a speed that was unlike before. The stranger began to unsheathe his blade. 'Too late' Sasuke thought to himself as he charged. A smile crawled across the stranger's face as the blade jabbed towards Sasuke's face. Startled the Uchiha jumped back a step. The long katana came at him again. He drew two kunais and blocked the blow. The strength behind the blade was overwhelming him even in the cursed seal mode.

The scabbard darted outwards ramming itself into Sasuke's gut. Again, he retreated. Sasuke felt humiliated. This wasn't the same as his fight with Naruto. Here he was being completely overwhelmed. This wasn't like fighting Itachi either. Itachi would have simply defeated him. This person was toying with him. This angered the young genius. In a way, it was worse than simply being beaten.

He decided to step up the battle once again. He activated his second stage of the cursed seal. The power it granted was overwhelming. It was almost as great as the Mangekyou Sharingan, but he had decided that the Mangekyou would be a last resort.

The samurai was giving him a measuring look before sheathing his sword again. A look of disappointment spread across his face. "False strength can never win." He spoke the words with a sigh of sadness. He slowly sheathed his blade.

'Giving up? No what he said... and what he's doing... it doesn't make sense.' Sasuke wondered about the actions he gazed upon. 'It does not matter, I will kill him now.' He rushed towards the samurai who disappeared. Sasuke stopped startled by the sudden vanishing act.

'That level of speed is impossible, especially considering the amount of armour he's wearing' the young Uchiha thought to himself. The blade of a hand struck his neck as he stared into the empty spot where the samurai previously stood.

He collapsed to the ground. This strength was paranormal. The seal collapsed upon itself and he returned to his normal form. He felt fear like never before.

"Repent your actions and salvation will be your reward."

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me." Sasuke fell to his knees and looked into the samurai's eyes. 'Fool, my actions will make me stronger. My reward will be Itachi's head.'

The Uchiha activated the Mangekyou Sharingan, but found that it was absolutely worthless against the stranger. He seemed completely unaffected by the genjutsu that was being performed.

"It would seem that you will not regret your actions. For one so weak, you shouldn't attack people at random. It will lead to your death." The samurai looked ready to end the battle now. The long blade was drawn.

"You must be proud of those eyes that cannot see" the stranger taunted before piercing his blade through Sasuke's left eye.

The young Uchiha proved to be able to react fast enough to prevent his head from being impaled. His eyes bled. He performed several seals before vanishing in a cloud of smoke.

"Damn. I missed my chance." The samurai spoke silently before caring for the trauma stricken young girl.

_Naruto_

I spent most of the morning training with Ero-sennin. This time he was attempting to teach me to control my chakra so that I could summon 'appropriate' frogs for situations. He said that only being able to summon the 'extremes' was useless in most day to day ninja battles. It was also a waste of chakra and on many occasions overkill. It was far more difficult that I could imagine. By the time I was supposed to meet Hinata, I had summoned over 30 Gamakichi sized frogs and Gamabunta twice. I half sniggered to myself. At least I had managed to summon Gamabunta in a situation that wasn't completely dependant on it. I guessed to myself that it was some improvement.

I met with Hinata after dinner. Under the light of the stars and a few lanterns we began.

She was hesitant at first, but gradually gained confidence. I took several strikes and pain grasped me. The exercise was designed to improve my movement and reaction, so she wasn't using Jyuuken.

Unfortunately accidents happen and a palm struck my chest. Pain seized up. I coughed up blood as I collapsed onto my behind. "I...I'm sorry."

I tried to assure her that it wasn't a big deal, that it had been my fault for not moving fast enough.

_Neji_

I inquired curiously, "Proposition?"

Hiashi rested his arms upon my shoulders. "For one with the talents to develop the Hyuuga's most secret techniques without guidance, I offer a guiding hand."

"What happened to it being 'Main House' only?"

"Ah... but you already know the techniques, so I'm sure the Elders will have no problem. I'm only going to teach you how to use them more effectively. I will teach you nothing you can't learn with time."

I pondered the idea for a moment. It was indeed rare that the leader of the prestigious Hyuuga would make an offer like this to a branch house member.

"What about Hinata-sama?" I asked monotonously. It was a test to his intentions. Did he want to use him? Did he only seek the talent that was his?

"She is being trained by the Godaime Hokage. If she feels inclined to learn more of the Hyuuga arts, she is welcome to join."

Hinata was being trained by Tsunade-sama? I half chuckled to myself. I wondered how Tenten would feel when she found out that Tsunade's student was his 'shy' cousin.

"What about 'my' half of the proposition? What do you require from me?"

"There are two things that I want. First, I want you to swear to protect my daughters by any means neccessary, not as a member of the branch family, but as their elder cousin. Second, I want to know everything you know about Uzumaki Naruto, and his relationship with Hinata."

I pondered the proposition. I would be able to gain the true strength of a Hyuuga far faster with Hiashi's assistance. Protecting Hinata and Hanabi would be required of me anyways as a member of the branch family so, that wasn't really anything different. I wondered why Hiashi would want to know more about Naruto, but it wasn't like I knew anything that was a secret anyways so it would seem that this deal was highly in my favor.

I nodded my acceptance of the proposal.

The next few months were harsh as the training grew more intensive as the Chuunin exams came around again. I was actually surprised when I found Hinata joining us for the training. Together, Hinata, Hanabi and I became far stronger than any of us imagined.

_Hinata_

I spent the following months partitioning my time between my training sessions with Tsunade, Naruto and my father. I learnt many of the basic healing jutsus and even some of the basic combat ones. It was harsh work trying to understand and master the jutsus without complete guidance. However it worked out better because I was able to understand how to make the techniques truly work.

My father was surprisingly patient this time. He took the effort to explain my weakness and showed ways to compensate. He smiled at my newfound courage. He showed me how to develop the Byakugan. It took time but my field of view gradually increased. My blind spot was slowly being narrowed. I never imagined that it was even possible to do this.

With Naruto, it gave me a chance to practice what I had learnt. It increased my awareness and confidence. It gave me the courage to continue. After the 'training' we would talk about anything and everything. I felt closer to him than ever before. The only topic that was persistently avoided was Sasuke and Sakura.

_Shikamaru_

The gods must have been laughing when they decided to pull this stunt. I was stuck in the Wind Country, playing 'Ambassador' for the Fire Country. It had been a good opportunity to have a spy placed into the upper workings of the former traitors, but I never understood why it had to be me.

Temari's team, siblings, were my official 'bodyguards' while I was the 'goodwill' ambassador. Part of me was happy to be around Temari all the time. The other part of me was not, since she always managed to interrupt my 'lazy' time as she called it.

My feelings towards the Sand Kunochi were still undetermined. Her smile would send shivers down my spine, which was good and bad. She was far scarier than any other girl I had ever met, but at the same time she was the loveliest.

So between spending my time in boring meetings and other troublesome activities, I try to relax under the clouds. Unfortunately, Temari was always under the impression that if I had time to watch the clouds, I should be training. She always found me, regardless of where I hid. The feelings were just so conflicting all the time. It really was too troublesome for a person like me, but it won't go away.

As I said, some sick gods must be having a good laugh at my expense.

_Naruto_

I trained long and hard with Jiraiya and Hinata. My control was rapidly improving and I could summon various different frogs. It felt good to know that I could now control which one I brought into battle.

My movement and instinct was improving rapidly sparring with Hinata. I knew of her training with Hiashi-sama, and a lot of what she learnt would be brought to play against me. The battles began to become more intensive as her medical skills increased. I began to feel nervous around her. It felt weird especially since we had only begun to become closer.

In secret however, I began to use the ideals of the Jyuuken and my new chakra control to develop my own taijutsu, Zero Shinki.


	6. Chuunin Exam Begins

Kindling Hearts

Chapter 6 – Chuunin Exam Begins

_Neji_

During the months leading to the Chuunin exam, I trained with Hiashi-sama. Aside from that I performed several C-ranked missions with my team. Gai-sensei was preoccupied with his own missions to oversee ours but it didn't matter too much. Lee was also unable to accompany us due to his rehabilitation program.

I was assigned a new teammate by the name of Tsurugi Kira. She had curly olive coloured locks that ran down to her shoulders. Her eyes were emerald green and would be considered attractive by most. She wore a dark brown tunic over a mesh shirt. A three foot katana and a one foot katana rested against her left hip held on by a green sash. Black trousers covered her legs. Her body was fit with lean muscles and feminine curves.

She was an impressive shinobi, though I would never admit it to her face. Her fighting style was largely acrobatic and filled with a sense of finesse. The movement of her blades appeared to dance around her as she parried attacks with them. Her ninjutsus were also very impressive, most of which revolved around the earth element.

Tenten surprised me the most. She excelled in her training and the power of her attacks increased drastically. She seemed to have been 'insulted' by the fact that Temari and Kira had bested her in combat. She took it as an insult to her dream of becoming a legendary Kunoichi like her idol, the Godaime. The fact that Kira was a 'weapon specialist' in a manner of speaking as well only added injury to the insult. However the simple fact that she had lost in the preliminary round of her first Chuunin exam as well had been a source of friendship between the rivaling girls. Well to say they were rivals would be like saying Lee and me are rivals. Kira did not feel at all threatened by Tenten's growth. Actually, it felt almost like watching Gai and Kakashi's rivalries.

While I felt Lee would have been the better member to enter the Chuunin exam with, there was no doubt in my mind that Kira was equally capable.

Of the nine rookies from the last exam, only three were participating. Shino, Kiba and Ino were going to this exam.

Naruto had said that he wanted to finish his training with Jiraiya, Ero-sennin to him. Chouji was still unconscious, though his body was slowly rebuilding itself thanks to the nutrient supplements pumped directly into his system. Shikamaru was already a Chuunin, so he really couldn't participate. Sakura had mysteriously disappeared, but she had already quit being a shinobi anyways so it didn't matter. Sasuke was an official missing-nin and couldn't participate either. And lastly Hinata had decided she wasn't ready since her training with Tsunade-sama had become increasingly difficult.

There were other Konoha teams that went with us to Sunagakure, but I didn't know any of them. The other teams that graduated with me from the academy were all missing. I wondered briefly on what had happened to those who I always overlooked.

_Shikamaru_

It was an interesting day. The clouds were moving ever so freely, drifting calmly across the wide sky. It was an unusual sight for clouds to pass over Sunagakure. 'Ah, how I wish I could be like them.' The idle thought passed through my mind as a dull object struck my skull. Without looking I greeted the intruder to my quiet musings, "Hello, Temari."

"Aren't you going to wish me luck on the Chuunin exam?" Her voice was commanding but with a hint of something else. I couldn't place my finger on what that something was though.

"Bah, with Kankurou and Gaara on your team it's impossible to lose before the preliminary or final round." I replied in a lazy tone. The dull object struck my skull once again. It was definitely her fist. So in a monotone voice I wished her luck. I received another blow once again. 'You're damned if you do and damned if you don't' I thought to myself. I felt her killing ki spike slightly before it was gradually forced down by delivering a series of attacks against various parts of my face. I was grateful that she didn't use her fan, so I didn't bother to comment on her actions and how she was assigned to 'protect' me.

She sat beside me for a while in silence. I knew better than that. She had something to ask and was probably waiting for me to ask. Part of me wanted to know what was bothering her, but also I just wanted to watch the rare clouds.

Unfortunately for me, she broke the silence. "Gaara isn't going to participate this time."

I was shocked. It seemed so unusual that the most powerful Sand Genin would not want to advance in the ranks. I wondered about this unusual fact.

"He wants to get Shuukaku under control first before entering another situation where he might have to kill."

I remembered Gaara mentioning the Sand High Priest. Temari took the time to explain that Gaara no longer wanted to kill except under absolute necessity. How he did not want to be seen as a demon any longer. How he wanted to be forgiven for his sins. There was only one thing Temari never mentioned and that was the reason behind his 'sudden' change of heart.

We sat in awkward silence for some time after that.

"Who's your third teammate then?" I only realized too late when I saw her face falter. It was likely that this person had been the cause of a lot of agony in her life and considering, she had Gaara to deal with, this person must be far worse.

"Kai…" she replied quietly.

My mind ran through all the Sand nins that I had met over the last two months. It stopped upon a rather obnoxious boy.

Kai had dark curly hair and dark brown eyes. His face was rather portly and gave the feeling of being spoiled. He was a chubby boy all around. It that had been all, I was sure I would have been great friends with the fellow, except he was a brat. He gave the jolly fat man image a new perspective. He used his father's authority to bully anyone that did not agree with him. He insulted everyone and anyone at all times. I suppose he didn't insult everyone, he tread very carefully around Gaara. Temari and Kankurou also did not tolerate his antics and as children of the late Kazekage, had sufficient influence to avoid punishment from Kai's father. There were still many on the council that heavily sided with the late Kazekage after all.

As far as his skills went, I was sure that they were insignificant and substandard. There were many rumours that he only passed the Academy exam because of his father's influence. I now knew why Temari needed luck to pass this exam when she and her brother were so powerful.

"Good Luck" I said once again this time with far more feeling behind the casual words.

"Thank you" was her reply.

_Hinata_

I looked at the exhausted form of Naruto sleeping under a tree in our secret training location. It was a peaceful place that was free of all distractions save one. And though the remaining distraction was the most powerful, it was also the most influential. The sky was darkening and it would be time to awake him soon.

We had been practicing various taijutsu styles and stances. The forms and movement was starting to become second nature to us. Since I had said that the Hyuuga style was a family only style, we were using manuscripts to direct our movements. He would then test them against me using the Hyuuga style, minus the Jyuuken, to judge their efficiency.

It was always surprising how far he would push himself, how far he was willing to go.

"N-Naruto-kun" even after spending so much time with him, I still found myself stuttering when I talked to him. "W…Wake up." I approached his sleeping form.

He turned unexpectedly knocking me off my feet. I landed unceremoniously next to him. I was about to shake him awake when his hand held me by my waist.

I blushed furiously as I turned my head away from him. My heart pounded against my chest. "N...Naruto-k…kun?" There was no reply. However he held me close to him. I cautiously gazed upwards into his face.

He was still asleep. His breathing was even and his eyes moved rapidly. I felt a pang of disappointment. I rested my head against his chest as I found myself unwilling to release myself from this fantasy made real. 'Well, ok so Naruto wasn't awake, and he wasn't doing this on purpose, but a girl can dream right?' I chided myself.

"Sakura-chan" Naruto spoke in his sleep. The pain of those words hurt more than anything I had ever felt before. Even in his dreams, he thought of the pink haired kunoichi. Tears ran down my face and onto Naruto's warm chest.

I did not realize when he woke up his shirt wet with my tears. "H…Hinata? What's wrong?"

His comfortable touch upon my shoulders added to the pain. 'Why do you have to be so nice to me? If you weren't it would be easier to forget about you. Why?' I sadly asked myself. I did not reply aloud to his question. I simply looked away from his face.

He seemed to suddenly realize the proximity that we lay next to each other. He jumped back and knelt in front of me. His eyes were unreadable. They were moist as if in anticipation of tears.

He bowed his head low, his forehead touching the ground. "I'm sorry." It seemed so different from his usual happy self.

_Naruto_

Her tears scared me. It was a million times worse than the cold stares of the villagers. The feeling of pain wrapped itself around my chest. My breathing became rapid and distorted. I tried to calm myself, to put that cheerful smile, my mask to hide the hurt. I could not, the pain from seeing her cry was worse than anything I had ever experienced. I did not know why, but maybe, because this time, it was my fault. 'Did I do something inappropriate?' I thought to myself. I did not remember anything, but I did just wake up with my arms around her waist. 'She can't hold something I did in my sleep against me, can she?'

The only thing I could do was keep apologizing until she forgave my indecent behaviour, however 'accidental' it was.

She shook her head slightly. 'She wasn't going to forgive me?' I thought for a split second. The pain in my chest multiplied ten fold. It was a suffering I would wish on no living person.

"It's not your fault, you didn't do anything." Her soft voice was like balm upon a wound. The soothing feeling rushed through my body as the words destroyed the pain. The feeling of relief, of joy was akin to that of when Iruka first acknowledged my existence. The carefree smile however, still refused to return to my face. The simple fact that she was still downtrodden kept that grin from my face. I repeated my first question. Daring to approach her, I gently held her face to look into my eyes. I smiled sympathetically at her. I felt like words were forming in her mind but simply refused to be voiced.

_Hinata_

I wanted to tell him why I was hurt. Honestly I did. But to do that I would have to admit I liked him as well and that was what I was unsure of. I wanted him to hold me close like he was, but he was dreaming of Sakura. I knew that in his mind he had let go of the affections he once held, but did his heart? I was scared that if I told him, he would be using Sakura as a comparison, as a reference.

I started to compare myself to her. She was prettier. She was smarter. She was better than me in every way. I wondered briefly if I would ever be able to bring myself to be blinded by love like Sakura was. Was my devotion to Naruto as great as hers to Sasuke?

"Please, tell me what's wrong… I will help any way I can, so please just tell me what's wrong." He implored me. His eyes were begging me for a response. The sadness of hurt lay beneath the surface.

I moved slowly so that I knelt just in front of him. I placed my arms around his neck and leaned my head against his shoulder. I felt my face go red with the proximity of him.

He spoke no words as he placed his hands onto my back, slowly rubbing them in a comforting motion.

I hated myself for taking advantage of his kindness. I wanted to stay like this forever. I wanted to be with him forever. But knowing that it was not possible, not yet, not while he still felt something for her in his heart, made this moment more painful than I thought possible. I cried gently into his shoulder as he comforted me silently.

He sat there with his arms around me for what felt like hours. I managed to calm myself eventually. I realized then that the moon had risen high into the sky. I wiped the last of my tears as I gazed into the elegant scene. It paled in comparison to the wide grin that had spread across Naruto's face. His eyes were lit with joy as he saw me smile.

"You're prettier when you smile." He spoke the words quietly directly at my ear as if telling me a secret. As he rose he kissed me gently on my forehead. I felt the blood rush to my face. I felt my nervousness return tenfold once again. I looked questioningly at him. He smiled and then spoke again in the same manner, "A good luck charm so that you would never need to feel sadness again."

_Neji_

I looked around me. There were many genins there that had failed the previous exam. There were also a lot that weren't there. There were several new faces but most of them seemed inconsequential. A few gave an aura of strength, but the greatest was a trio of Sand that wore masks that resembled skulls. The symbol of Sand was engraved upon the forehead of those skulls. Besides that there was nothing truly extraordinary about their appearances.

The room we were gathered in was large and plain. It was then that I noticed an anomaly. A figure emerged from the wall. He wore a white turban and a mask that covered his mouth and nose but wasn't upon his face like Kakashi's mask. His large white tunic was worn loosely over his body. He also wore gloves, boots and a loose pair of trousers. In essence he was a white ghost within all the white sands. He wore no Jounin vest, but his aura contradicted this. He opened his mouth and spoke.

"I am Special Operatives Wu Xing. I am your first examiner." He placed a small map on the wall behind him as he begun his explanation.

"This is a maze." He said as he pointed to the map. "At the center of this maze is a tower where you will gather.

"Now these are the rules of this Exam.

"One, you must enter the tower as a team.

"Two, everyone will enter the maze at different locations, no two people will enter at the same point.

"Three, you have two hours to reach the tower, though it should take about fifteen minutes for a reputable chuunin.

"Lastly, you can all take some time to examine the map."

There was obviously more to this than met the eye, but I couldn't figure out all the implications that this test would have. I talked to Tenten and Kira to determine a plan or strategy to pass this test. The only thing we thought of was simply get to the center and wait. Because of the size of the area, none of us had any relevant tracking skill that would be of use to find the others. Also, we would waste time backtracking if we simply waited for each other to find us. But that also led to the major issue of what would happen if one teammate is caught waiting at the tower by another hostile team.

_Lee_

My recovery was complete. My body was well again, though the joints and muscles remained stiff from the relative infrequency of use. The light jog and practice log exercises had loosened them for the most part. I decided that it was time to visit the new friend I had made during my rehabilitation.

Karei had been a kind and caring girl. We had talked about everything and anything like old friends. She was probably the person that knew me best save for Gai-sensei. She had easily taken residence within my heart before I even realized that I considered her a friend.

I waved at her as she swam to the edge of the pool to talk to me. Smiling widely I spoke, "I win."

She giggled that cute laugh as she pulled herself out of the water. Her wet hair was clinging to the sides of her face. She stared into the pool as if deciding something. Her expression was unreadable. I did not know what to do.

I looked apologetically at her, "I'm sorry; it's not nice to gloat, especially since you are still recovering."

She shook her head and smiled at me. "It's fine, the doctors said that I probably won't ever be able to fully recover anyways." I was shocked. I didn't know. I was about to apologize again for my ignorance when she put her hand up stopping me. "They said that during my operation, there was a misalignment. It was small, and easily overlooked, not enough to prevent me from walking, but more than sufficient to ensure that I would be unable to enjoy the freedom of movement I had before."

I stared at this woman of uncharacteristic strength. If it wasn't for Tsunade, I would likely be in her position now. "Maybe Tsunade-sama can help."

She smiled and shook her head. "It had already healed up by the time it was discovered. I don't exactly like the idea of reopening a healed wound to have a 'chance' at recovery. Besides, it's not like I'm unable to move."

I looked down into the pool and gazed into my reflection. There had to be a way for me to help her. She had been a steadfast source of encouragement in the last few months when I had been unwilling to continue in this _charade _of rehabilitation. I hadn't felt like it was helping me. I had wanted to push myself further. She had said that too little effort would leave the muscles weaker and unable to recover, but too much effort, and the brittle recovery made thus far would shatter. She had brought out in me the balance needed.

She rested her head on my shoulder. My heart started to race. Her voice was quiet as she spoke, "Do you remember when you said, 'To protect those important to us that is the reason we fight." I nodded. "I think, I finally understand. I may not be able to protect you from monsters, or villains or even the neighbor's dog, but I want to protect you all the same. I think… I love you."

A sad smile crept across my face. My heart raced like I had finished a marathon. My face turned red as blood rushed up. "I… I…" I did not know what to say. A small tear escaped the side of my eye.

"Some time ago, I swore that I would protect this girl I liked forever. It is a promise I do not plan on retracting even though I do not know where she is." There was a small look of disappointment on Karei's face though it quickly vanished. "I'm sorry. I'm a man that can't even keep his promises, or protect that which I care most about. I'm sure, there's someone out there that would be better suited for your kindness."

I got up and was leaving when I heard her stumble and let out a small cry. I caught her before I was aware of what I was doing. She rested her hand against my face as I steadied her. "Thank you. I think… if you had left without turning back to help me, I might've been able to forget you, but you didn't. If you had turned to help, but was unable, I might've been able to forgive you for not catching me. But you did catch me. You were there when I needed you. I love you, not because you do the things you do, but because you put the effort into everything you do. Even if you don't feel the same, I don't think there's anyone in this world that is as wonderful as you."

Author's Notes...

I apologize for the long delay in updating... maybe I'll get back interested in writing this story...


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